Editor's note: This post is part of our weekly In the NVIDIA Studio series, which celebrates featured artists, offers creative tips and tricks, and demonstrates how NVIDIA Studio technology improves creative workflows. In the coming weeks, we'll be deep diving on new GeForce RTX 40 Series GPU features, technologies and resources, and how they dramatically accelerate content creation.
This week In the NVIDIA Studio, we're highlighting 3D and motion graphics artist SouthernShotty - and scenes from his soon-to-be released short film, Watermelon Girl.
The theme of the film is that it's more rewarding to give to others than to receive yourself, said the artist. Watermelon Girl aims to create joy and invoke youth, he said, inspiring artists and viewers to raise each other's spirits and be a positive force in the world.
I really hope it encourages people to reach out and help each other through hard times, SouthernShotty said.
https://blogs.nvidia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/nvidia-studio-itns-wk28-castle-stairs-endless-1280w.mp4
SouthernShotty learned to model in 3D as a faster alternative to his favorite childhood art form, claymation.
Growing up, I did a lot of arts and crafts with my mom and dad, so I loved creating little worlds, he said.
The Watermelon King's throne room in Watermelon Girl.' SouthernShotty brainstormed characters using the mood board app Milanote, which allows users to drag and reposition cards to organize out-of-order thoughts. He also experimented with AI image generators to develop ideas and create reference material for his own artwork.
Once his vision was set, SouthernShotty began creating characters and scenes in Blender. Using an NVIDIA Studio laptop housing a GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, he deployed Blender's Cycles renderer with RTX-accelerated OptiX ray tracing in the viewport, unlocking interactive photorealistic rendering for modeling.
RTX-accelerated ray tracing and AI denoising in Blender unlock interactivity in large and complex scenes. To make volume rendering more GPU memory-efficient, SouthernShotty took advantage of the baked-in NVIDIA NanoVBD technology, allowing him to quickly adjust large and complex scenes with smooth interactivity. He then added animations to his characters and scenes before exporting renders in lightning speed using Blender Cycles.
SouthernShotty animated Watermelon Girl' in Blender. Next the artist moved into Substance 3D Painter to build textures characteristic of his custom look, which, he said, is a tactile vibe that conveys an interesting mix of unconventional materials.
https://blogs.nvidia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/nvidia-studio-itns-wk28-whale-animation-1280w.mp4
NVIDIA Iray technology and the RTX GPU played a critical role, with RTX-accelerated light and ambient occlusion baking photorealistic textures in mere seconds.
Have to get the lighting just right. SouthernShotty then imported renders in Substance 3D Stager to apply textures and experiment with colors. Substance 3D Stager's latest update added support for SBSAR to enable faster exports and custom textures that are easy to plug and play, along with new options to apply blending modes and opacity.
Preset lighting options helped him light the scene with ease. With RTX-accelerated denoising, SouthernShotty could tweak and tinker the scene in a highly interactive viewport with virtually no slowdown - allowing him to focus on creating without the waiting.
He quickly exported final passes in Blender before reaching the composition stage, where he applied various GPU-accelerated effects in Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator and Premiere Pro.
GeForce RTX GPUs revolutionized the way I work. I no longer spend hours optimizing my scenes, waiting on preview renders, or packaging files for an expensive online render farm, SouthernShotty said.
As SouthernShotty continues to refine Watermelon Girl, he'll now have the powerful GeForce RTX 4090 at his disposal. The same GPU that TechRadar said is more powerful than we even thought possible.
When it's time to export the final film, the RTX 40 Series NVIDIA dual AV1 encoders via the popular Voukoder plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro will see him instantly slash his export times and reduce his file size.
SouthernShotty recently tested the GeForce RTX 4090 GPU to see if it's the best card for Blender and 3D.
Watch below.
In testing, render speeds in Blender are 70% faster than the previous generation.
Performance testing conducted by NVIDIA in September 2022 with desktops equipped with Intel Core i9-12900K with UHD 770, 64 GB RAM. NVIDIA Driver 521.58, Windows 11. Blender 2.93 measures render time of various scenes using Blender OpenData benchmark, with the OptiX render engine. Check out SouthernShotty's linktree for Blender tutorials, social media links and more.
3D motion graphics artist SouthernShotty. Join the #From2Dto3D Challenge NVIDIA Studio wants to see your 2D to 3D progress.
Join the #From2Dto3D challenge this month for a chance to be featured on NVIDIA Studio's social media channels, like @Rik_Vasquez:
@NVIDIAStudio Fan art from 2017, Cyborg Teen Titan s Go! edition (fun cartoon series).#From2Dto3D pic.twitter.com/5PIw57FxcL
Rik (@Rik_Vasquez) October 5, 2022
Entering is easy: Simply post a piece of 2D art next to a corresponding 3D rendition on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook - and be sure to tag #From2Dto3D.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
Editor's note: This post is part of our weekly In the NVIDIA Studio series, which celebrates featured artists, offers creative tips and tricks, and demonstrates how NVIDIA Studio technology improves creative workflows. In the coming weeks, we'll be deep diving on new GeForce RTX 40 Series GPU features, technologies and resources, and how they dramatically accelerate content creation.
